Tire uniformity machines are commonly used to test tires by rotating them at various speeds and measuring the characteristics of the tires and ensure that they are constructed within quality standards. To do this, the tire uniformity machine receives a tire, chucks the tire on a rotating spindle, and, after pressurizing the tire and causing it to rotate, brings a loadwheel into contact with the tire to simulate a road surface and measure the forces generated by the tire. Measurements are also taken at the spindle, and, to that end, the spindle is provided with one or more load cells. It will be appreciated that these load cells are very sensitive and can be affected during shipping or other handling such that the load cell does not generate accurate readings. To ensure that the load cell reads accurately, it is desirable to calibrate the load cell after shipping or other handling. Presently, it is necessary to disassemble the spindle and manually inspect the load cell to ensure that it is in condition to take proper measurements.
It will be appreciated that most users are reluctant to perform this task each time the tire uniformity machine is moved. Due to this reluctance, the load cell in the machine may generate inaccurate readings that can skew other measurements made by the tire uniformity machine. As a result, the machine may not provide accurate repeatable output.